Dancing toy



Nov. 13, 1962 JUAN REINOSA (PADILLA) 3,063,193

DANCING TOY Filed Nov. 27, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A3 M 2 4 Fig.

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Nov. 13, 1962 JUAN REINOSA (PADILLA) 3,063,193

DANCING TOY Filed Nov. 27, 1959 EL Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 5

BY 2mm United fitates This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to an improved form of dancing toy.

An object of the invention is to provide an amusement device which is self-contained in that a stage is automatically provided for a dancing figurine of the articulated type.

An important feature of the invention is found in the manner of articulating the figurine, i.e. the mechanism by which to cause the toy to dance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical, self-contained theatre type toy which may be produced at a comparatively low cost and which furnishes great amusement to children and adults by either observing the gyrations of the figurines or by producing them or both.

Another important feature of the invention is to pro- Vide a unique way of supporting an animated figurine in an erect position with a vibrating fulcrum bar arranged in see-saw fashion for transmitting vibration through an upright supporting post to fulcrumed bars and then through the bars to the dancing toy so that it commences to move back and forward striking the board with-the feet and producing a sound and shaking as though it were actually dancing.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an amusement device in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side perspective view suggesting a method of operation of the dancing toy.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional View taken approximately on the line 55 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a part of the operating means for the figurine.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated an amusement device Ill exemplifying the principles of the invention. The amusement device includes a complete simulated miniature stage 12 constituting a stationary reference frame having two side walls 14 and 16, a stage bottom wall 18, a top wall 20 and a rear wall 22. The front Wall 24 has a stage opening 26 and is preferably ornamented (FIGURE 1). The stage floor is adapted to rest on a supporting surface, for instance surface 30, and has shallow base structure 32 to support the stage floor above supporting surface 38*.

When the stage is constructed of wood, wood working techniques are used. For a metallic stage, light weight metal techniques, such as those used in the sheet metal trade, will be used. Of course, for plastic embodiments those techniques peculiar to plastic manufacture will be resorted to. When made of wood and/ or metal, the walls are preferably bolted together with the top wall 20 made separable by being supported at the front by dowel pins 34 attached to vertical supports 36 behind front Wall 24.

atent G P 3,%3,l% Patented Nov. 13, 1962 The rear edge of top wall 26 is held in place by means of studs 38 and wing nuts 40, the studs being secured to rear vertical supports at the corners of the side and back walls and passing through apertures in top wall 20. The trim of the stage may be varied. For example facia 42 is simply set in slots 44 in supports 36 and held in place by having the top wall 20 overlie the facia. This may be easily removed and replaced, and the same holds true for curtains, background and the like.

The amusement device includes a figurine 46 of the articulate joint type. The figurine has an upper body 47, an intermediate body 48 and legs 49, 50. Arms 51 and 52 are connected to upper body 47. In one type of figurine which is selected for illustration, pivot pins 53 are used to connect the arms at the shoulder parts thereof to the shoulders of the body, and a horizontal hinge '54 is used to connect the intermediate body 48 with the upper body 47. Horizontal hinge 55 connects the legs 49 and 50 to the lower extremities of the intermediate body, the intermediate body constituting the thigh portion of the figurine.

A novel figure suspension means for operating the figurine constitutes an important part of the invention. These means consist of a contact surface platform 58 at the inner extremity of a vibrating bar 59. The platform is set in an opening 6% (FIGURE 3) formed in the floor of the stage, and there is an upstanding rail 62 around the edge of opening 60 and firmly fixed to the floor. Fulcrum block 64, functioning as an upright post or pivot, has a bolt 65 connected thereto and in an upright position. Wing nut 66, to adjust compression in order to vary the amount of vibration of bar 59, is connected with the bolt 65 and seats against a compressible washer 67 that rests on the top surface of bar 59. There is an opening 68 (FIGURE 7) in bar 59 through which bolt 65 extends.

Upright post 70 is secured, for example by screw 71, to the bar 59 is located between platform 58 and fulcrum 64 so that the vibratory stroke imparted thereto by the bar 59 will be reduced with respect to that of the platform 58. Post 71 has a bifurcation '72 at its upper end and a transverse opening 73 extending to the furcations thereof. A rigid lever 74 is pivoted by pin 75 between the front and rear ends thereof to bifurcations 72. The rear end of the lever has an eye 78 fixed thereto, and there are resilient force transmitting means 79 attached to eye 78 and to an eye 80 which is fixed to the outer part of the bar 59 for inducing vibration of the lever 74 in response to vibration of the bar 59 in order to induce primary vibrations of the figurine carried by the lever 74. These resilient means can assume a number of configurations, one of which is an elastic band and another of which is a string, cord 81 or the like with a spring 82 interposed between the ends thereof. A similar resilient force transmitting means 83 is connected between body 47 and the inner part of lever 74 in order to induce secondary vibrations of the figurine in response to vibration of the lever 74. However, force transmitting means 33 are at right angles to the force transmitting means 79 insuring that the primary and secondary vibrations imposed on the figurine will never reinforce or counteract each other as will be apparent to anyone skilled in the art, resulting in an apparent controlled movement of the figurine limited by contact with the platform thereby simulating dancing movements. Means 83 span pivot connection 85 which secures the body 47 of figurine 46 to the inner end of lever 74. A short stud 86 is fixed to the rear part of body 47 and is pivotally connected by a bifurcation, pivot connection 85 to the inner end of lever 74.

Post '70 is on the exterior of the stage and therefore there is a slot 89 in the back wall 22 of the stage to allow the lever 74 to enter the stage. However, since the operating mechanism is located behind the figurine, it is, by and large, concealed from view through the front opening 26 of the stage.

A light source 90, for instance a light bulb 91 carried by socket 92, is disposed within the stage area. The socket is secured to one wall, for example wall 14 (FIG- URE and has an electrical conductor 93 extending therefrom and through an opening in the wall of the stage, whereby a source of electrical potential may be contacted.

Base structure 32 may be made in one piece or one assembly to include the upright fulcrum block 64 (FIGURE 2), in which case there is an upwardly opening channel 94 in a rear projecting part 95 from the main portion of base structure 32.

In use, the remote exposed end of bar 59 is initially displaced by a small amount or simply tapped as shown in FIGURE 2 causing the platform 58 to vibrate. At the same time, motion is transmitted to the lever 74 through the double arrangement of resilient force transmitting means. The main or upper part 47 of the figurine is moved in an up and down fashion as constrained by and as caused by resilient means 83. At the same time, lever 74 is set into an oscillatory cyclic motion through the action of resilient force transmitting means 79. This causes the figurine to not only undergo dancing movemerits but also to have the feet of legs 49 and 50 tap on platform 58, causing tap dance simulating sounds.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An amusement device comprising the combination of a contact surface platform, a bar attached to said platform, fulcrum means connected with said bar intermediate the ends thereof and thereby mounting said platform and bar for oscillatory movement, an upright post secured to said bar for oscillation therewith, a lever pivoted to said upright post, force transmitting means connected between said bar and said lever for oscillatory movement of the lever relative to the platform, a figurine, and articulate means connecting said figurine to said lever for 0scillatory movement of the figurine relative to the lever causing intermittent contact with the platform.

2. The combination of claim 1 including, resilient means bridging said articulate means and further connecting said figurine to said lever to effect the oscillatory movement of the figurine relative to the lever in response to vibration of the bar and lever about said fulcrum means.

3. An amusement device comprising the combination of a contact surface platform, abar attached to said platform, fulcrum means connected with said bar intermediate the ends thereof and thereby mounting said platform and bar for oscillatory movement, an upright post secured to said bar for oscillation therewith, a lever pivoted to said upright post, force transmitting means connected between said bar and said lever for oscillatory movement of the lever relative to the platform, a figurine, and articulate means connecting said figurine to said lever for oscillatory movement of the figurine relative to the lever, resilient means bridging said articulate means and further connecting said figurine to said lever to effect the oscillatory movement of the figurine relative to the lever in response 4 to vibration of the bar and lever about said fulcrum means, said platform being located below said figurine for contact by lower parts of the figurine to produce sounds as said bar is set into vibratory motion.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said fulcrum means includes a fulcrum member, and adjustment means connected with said fulcrum member and reacting on said bar to adjust the resistance to movement of said bar for varying the oscillatory movement induced therein by initial displacement of the bar.

5. An amusement device comprising the combination of a platform, a bar attached to said platform, fulcrum means connected with said bar intermediate the ends thereof and thereby mounting said platform and bar for oscillatory movement, an upright post secured to said bar, a lever pivoted to said upright post, force transmitting means connected between said bar and said lever for oscillatory movement of the lever relative to the platform, a figurine, articulate means connecting said figurine to said lever for oscillatory movement of the figurine relative to the lever, resilient means bridging said articulate means and further connecting said figurine to said lever to effect oscillatory movement of the figurine relative to the lever in response to vibration of the bar and lever about said fulcrum means, said platform being located below said figurine for contact by lower parts of the figurine to produce sounds as said bar is set into vibratory motion, a stage within which said figurine is disposed, said stage having a floor provided with an opening, and means mounted on the stage for concealing said platform located in said opening.

6. The amusement device of claim 5 wherein said force transmitting means include a spring.

7. In an amusement device, the combination comprising a platform, a bar connected with said platform as a longitudinal extension thereof, a fulcrum for supporting said bar and connected to said bar intermediate the ends thereof, an upright post connected to said bar for movement with said bar, a lever pivoted to said upright post, a figurine, pivot means connecting said figurine to one end of said lever, resilient force transmitting means connected with the other end of said lever and said bar on the side of said fulcrum opposite to that to which the post is secured for oscillation of the lever relative to the bar in response to vibration of the bar about said fulcrum.

8. The combination of claim 7 including further resilient means connected with a part of said figurine and said lever to constrain and also impart movements to the figurine relative to the lever in response to oscillation of said lever.

9. The combination of claim 8 including a stage accommodating said figurine and having floor means concealing said platform.

10. The combination of claim 9 including a source of illumination in said stage, said platform located approximately at floor level of said stage, and means connected with said stage for removably supporting stage decorating means for said stage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 955,407 Jackson Apr. 19, 1910 1,429,289 Maxwell et al Sept. 19, 1922 1,442,970 Rank Jan. 23, 1923 1,726,294 Greene Aug. 27, 1929 2,605,586 Swyers Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,304 Great Britain Sept. 30, 1899 

